Metal creaked and groaned where the bashed up elevator laid. The sounds echoed through the dim interior as small pieces of steel, cable and rubble fell from above. A large cloud of dust had blanketed the space as wails sounded from far above.
The lights buzzed quietly and flickered weakly. Some of them dangled from where they were installed as chips of tile fell from the ceiling on the survivors, who all laid motionless in dead silence. Dust had also stirred up inside the shaft around them. Nothing else happened for several minutes until they started inhaling it. Jordan stirred, squeezing his eyes tighter and moaned through his lips. He coughed, rubbing his face with one hand and inhaled sharply and cough more. His eyes cracked open hearing others coughing quietly and looked around. Some of his partners were very slowly moving. Keirstan and Amber stiffly rose a little; one on her elbows and the other against the wall. They looked at him with deeply stunned faces.
"Are you guys ok?"
Keirstan nodded, "maybe…" she flinched at the throbbing in her back. Amber slowly blinked while observing her surroundings, seeing everyone was still breathing. "Holy shit we...survived that?..."
Louis laid back over Zoey with his mouth hung open; she also came to but just rests her forehead against the floor as Keirstan and Jordan turned on their flashlights for more illumination. Several more minutes passed before the rest of the team showed signs of gaining consciousness. Moaning, coughing and asking each other if they were alright. Francis grimaced at a cut on his forearm through his coat, but ignored the aches and pains he felt-as everyone felt and immediately turned to the sisters, shaking Kayla first by the shoulder. She opened her eyes.
"Are you alright?"
She looked around. "...We're alive?"
He smiled softly, "what a surprise eh?"
Beth groaned and he looked at her right as Jordan knelt by her side. He went to ask her the same thing, but her partner did for him. She nodded as he watched the two for some seconds before lowering his gaze.
Bill heaved a cough while holding his hat in one hand, shaking off the dust and debris from it before resting his head against the doors. "Christ almighty…" he breathed, closing his eyes.
"Louis," Zoey grumbled, head still against the floor. "...Uuhuoh...?"
"You can get off me now." He raised a finger, "one...second…" after some moments, he sluggishly flopped off.
Francis was silently checking over if both were actually ok before grabbing a bag and reached inside. He handed Beth an inhaler, she took some puffs to clear her lungs from the dust. Bill looked on at the three as Francis then rose before he closed his eyes a second time.
"Mr. Positive," Kayla sighed and pinched her nose. Ian and Louis looked at her; she pointed to Ian, her eyes dull and lips pursed before speaking. "Still think elevators are relaxing?"
He shook his head "I take that back."
"Oh my appendix," Zoey rested a hand on her abdomen. "Completely useless but it still hurts."
"We're all going to be a bit bruised after this." Keirstan muttered with her head low.
"My spleen!" Amber exclaimed.
The biker gazed around at the ceiling before raising to aim the butt of his firearm and bashed against an escape hatch a few times until it popped open. He held it up and glanced at the others, "is everyone ok to move?" There was a series of responses while Louis held a thumb up drinking some water; he went to push it open when a sharp, deep scream ripped through the air. Next came a loud thud and sounds of splintering bones; startling everyone and Francis who jolted away before falling against Jordan and Beth. Both yelled at his weight crashing down on them. "What the hell?" Ian wondered out loud.
All around the group from outside the elevator, more screams and thudding was repeatedly heard at a rapid time. The survivors shrinked back and looked around exclaiming different things as some covered their ears from the disturbing sounds.
The infected were attracted to the noise and had barreled through air vents and holes in walls from several places. They fell to their deaths in numbers and smashed violently into the ground or bashed off the shaft. The lights flickered more as they longed for this to stop, they could even hear fluids splash all over. It went on for a short while. Bodies smashing against metal, the sounds would echo in their minds for a long time.
Finally it began to stop. A couple lingering more fell before it ceased all together.
Blood dripped through cracks, causing the group to look down and move away as Bill and Francis gazed at one another until the veteran stood. He placed his hat back on his head then cautiously pushed the hatch open, being careful as to not let any blood fall in his eyes or mouth. He peeked around through the crack before slowly pushing it open, bodies fell over and he looked up to see nothing. "...Ok, I think we're good to go." He announced some minutes later.
With that, everybody rose and helped one another out of the shaft, wincing in pain yet managed to shake it off. Some stumbled over broken corpses as they studied the mounts. A few hung over the shaft as they searched for a way out of the interior until Keirstan pointed to a ladder. "There's a way out." She called.
Zoey took the lead and all began the ascend. After some climbing and no dares of looking down as nervous as some were, she made it to a vent leading to one of the stories. The college student shifted her eyes around being sure they were in the clear. When confirmed, she attempted to beat it open.
"Come on Zoe, harder." Ian encouraged.
"Tyring."
She kept hitting it, until pressure wafted from her friends.
"Hurry!"
"I'm getting nervous."
"Want me to try?"
"How can we switch positions?"
"Faster!"
"Go!"
"Really?"
"Harder!"
She gets it open. Once through she helped Amber onto the floor followed by the others. They exclaimed in relief as Ian laid on his back on the floor. "Alright, let's take the stairs." Bill threw a hand out just for Francis to scoff. "I hate stairs."
"Want to find another elevator?"
His eyes grew big. "Nooo…"
"Stairs it is."
The team eventually found and began another climb up many flights. Fortunately they were not bothered by anything which made the trek easier. Although they were tiring a little the further they got. At one point Francis slipped, with a yell he tumbled back down a set. "Repeat, I hate stairs!" He had cried midfall. His back slammed against the wall as his comrades called after him if he was ok. Francis grunted and looked above at them. "I'm fine…" he stiffly got up, "guys."
"Yes?" Louis answered. All eyes were on him, as he rubbed his jaw then held his hands away. "How's my face?"
"Horribly, God awfully disfigured."
He half-lidded his eyes and raised his brow a little at Beth's comment. They resumed the climb, eventually getting to the twenty-eighth floor. Bill stepped out and looked around for any threats. His face fell seeing the condition the area was in. "Oh shit."
"What?" Keirstan looked for herself and her expression went from bland to fear, staring out at the vast openness and the tall buildings beyond it. "This floor's under construction. Be. Careful. Stay close to the walls."
Bill cautiously went ahead, as everyone behind him stared on in absolute worry. Noisy panting wafted from the stairs and three pairs of hands appeared at the top. Kayla, Beth and Amber hauled themselves over the last step, heaving breaths as they rested where they were. "I hate stairs." The older sister rasped. Amber nodded before they looked at their surroundings, now in surprised dread. Beth stared on unamused, quietly and unblinking for the longest moment at the new danger.
"And God hates us." She sarcastically groused.
Rain splattered on the edges of the cement floor while caution tape drifted in a breeze. Some commons ran towards them so they were taken care of by a shot to the head or pushed over the edge. "Look out for any Chargers and Smokers," Louis warned as Zoey seemed to freeze on the spot. Her face was etched with nervousness seeing they were level with the top of the buildings and horizon, breathing raggedly. "Or Jockeys, or anything up here." Francis said.
"We're so fucking high up." Zoey whispered.
Ian nudged her to keep going, assuring her they would be alright. Then, they heard the significant Hunter's growl.
"Oh shit…" Francis looked around. "Just keep going. Keep moving." Bill said.
They hurried along until a Smoker coughed from somewhere afar. It sounded much closer in seconds before it started screaming. Soon the Hunter was too as a tongue whipped out from where the special was hiding. More commons came sprinting around corners and a spray of acid spewed all over.
"Really? Did they set up an ambush or something?!" Jordan shouted.
"Flee! Stay close to the walls, shoot 'n flee!"
They pushed infected over and fired into the distance. As they ran, the Hunter leapt from the shadows and tackled into Beth, she screamed as they slid across the ground to where her head hung over the edge. While it snarled above her, she reopened her clenched eyes and turned to face it. They stared at one another for a brief moment, until it released a deeper growl with curled, cracked lips. She sneered back and spat in its face.
"Fuck you!"
They fought viciously. It tore into her mercilessly, cutting into clothes and skin while she punched and pushed at it screaming back until it grabbed her and slammed Beth up and down a couple of times before resuming clawing her up. Francis, Kayla, Jordan and Keirstan raced to her aid together shooting at the thing. However, a booming roar erupted. Suddenly another Charger barged through them after barreling around construction. It barely missed them by inches, although its force knocked them all away. Francis stumbled and was sent into a beam closest to Beth, shouting in frustration as he whirled to punch the Hunter off. He held its head down with a boot while it thrashed and stabbed with his machete straight through its sick, beating heart. He snatched her up away from the edge as the other three were thrown over with the Charger, screaming as they fell.
Francis let out a roar of terror as he and a wailing Beth ran after them, followed by a shouting Louis, Amber and Ian who were killing off their attackers as quickly as they could to rush for them. Luckily the trio was able to grab a rope strung up tightly on a rail. As they dangled in the air, the bellowing Charger fell until it was a tiny dot to them.
"Aawwee fuck...fuck!" Keirstan cried over Jordan's shouts and heavy breaths. Both stared down at the long fall.
Bill had been snagged by the Smoker who was now flailing and scratching at him. He struggled against the tongue for his knife. Grunting angrily, he forced his hand down to his weapon and pulled it out with strained effort to slice through it furiously. The veteran whirled around before the pained Smoker could strike again and slit its throat. The special dropped to the ground, twitching and grasping at its neck choking for air with smoke wafting out. He witnessed Zoey murder the Spitter and Francis reaching for the kids.
Kayla gripped the rope tightly, her knuckles white, eyes squeezed shut as she curled into herself. "Come here," Francis quivered. Reaching. She hesitantly looked at him after some seconds, orbs the size of plates. Strands of hair wafted in her face from the cold air, and rain drops dotting her dark hoodie and jacket as he reached out to bring her in. "Come here, you're ok…"
He had locked arms with hers and she hung on him until he placed her on the ground then helped Jordan and Keirstan up. They all scrambled away from the edge, with the three trembling badly. Keirstan was on the verge of tears, so Amber went over to comfort her and Jordan rested his hands on his knees. Staring at the ledge. The rest of the commons went down without a problem while Beth went over to see how her sister was. Ian placed a hand on Jordan's shoulder, his eyes also big from what he saw.
Louis heaved a breath, "that was way too fucking close."
The older sister shook in Francis' tight hold, not doing anything else but vice gripping on him. She stared at the city scenery over his shoulder; tears forming at her corners as he stroked her back a couple of times slowly. "It's ok," he soothed. His voice cracked and shook with lingering fear. "You're alright…I gotcha. You're...alright..." He rested his face in her hair.
Keirstan nodded at what Beth asked before hugging Amber, burying her face in her neck as Jordan went over to them and rubbed Keirstan's back. Beth return to her sister and he pulled her in the embrace. Holding them close absolutely shaken he almost lost both. Ian sighed; as the group rejoined and Francis lifted his head at them. "Let's go NOW!"
They didn't hesitate and ran through the construction area, zigzagging through obstacles and equipment. Finally, Zoey pointed to a doorway where everybody rushed through for temporary safety. After taking a short break to recover from the attack, they kept going. Climbing up two more floors, breaking through another air vent and ascended up a couple of ladders before the team made it onto the roof. Where they now towered over all of Fairfield. Cold wind blew furiously, whipping up snow and thin streams of water, making everyone cover themselves in an attempt to shield themselves from the elements and they looked around. A voice could faintly be heard from somewhere.
"Mercy hospital, pick up if you are there. This is chopper pilot five."
"I think it's coming from in here!" Bill called, pointing to and leading the group over to a structure once they descended the roof from yet another ladder. As they made way inside, following the voice, they noticed a makeshift defensive position on top of it. Including a mounted gun and what looked like several bombs and molotovs.
"Oh hey! I've always wanted to shoot one of those!" Louis excitedly grinned.
"When the time comes Louis." The veteran walked over then answered a radio. He pressed a button. "Hello?"
"Hello! You made it!" The pilot answered instantly, excited to hear a voice.
"I will be on my way immediately. However, it will take me some time to get there. Prepare yourselves, there's a mounted gun, ammo and explosives on the roof of the structure. Be sure the area is clear once I'm there."
"Heh," Bill looked at everyone. Determination clear on all of their faces, bodies bristled for what was to come as they waited for him to make the call.
"We've been ready. Come get us the hell outta here."
"Ok I'm on my way. Just hang in there. News chopper five out."
He pumped his gun shortly after. Until he saw the girls now huddled in a corner together shivering from the cold. He watched them lazily, "we're not!" Zoey protested.
"You just were ten seconds ago!"
Louis howled in glee and raced up a set of stairs. He spread his arms out skipping towards the mounted weapon as water dripped off his skin. "Love me-ah!" He cried when a blast of arctic air hit him. The analyst pulled his coat in tighter and rapidly rubbed his arms before embracing the firearm. The group separated and Francis looked down at his shotgun before gazing ahead. He spotted Beth staring out at the city's horizon, nothing beyond it but more and more dark sky. Her hair blew aside as she held her katana in one hand, combat rifle resting on the opposite shoulder. She turned hearing him coming.
"Ready to kick ass?"
"You mean more ass? Hell yeah!"
He laughed through his nose.
"...Hey Francis, what do you think will happen once we get there?"
"I hate this! It's too cold! Seriously who the hell's idea was it to put an evac up here!" Kayla complained in the distance.
"We'll find out soon enough," Francis replied. "All I know is you two will be safe. That's everything I care about."
Beth watched him, next she lowered her eyes for just a second, then locked with his again.
"What if it's not?" She asked quietly.
As they watched one another, Francis felt a sudden twinge in his stomach. His expression faltered at the question. Before he could speak, Amber hollered out.
"I see them!"
A horde was approaching from where the survivors emerged on the roof. "Stay in groups or pairs! Watch each others' backs!" Bill called. They fell over the roof and scrambled to their feet, others climbed over ledges while everyone shot at them. Heads flew back, blood sprayed as they gagged, the ones they missed simply pulled the frost bitten bodies down and continued their pursuit for their targets.
"Where do they come from? Honestly?" Keirstan huffed, running beside Ian. "I know right? It's like they spawn! Imagine if this were an xbox game or something." He replied, as both turned in the direction away from one another. He shot at ones coming from the front as she took care of others coming from their sides with her cricket bat. "If only it was!" Soon the two switched weapons, and protected each other from more running at different angles until a path was clear, enabling them to move on.
"HAHAHAHAHAAAAA! YEEEESSSS! I'MMA KILL ALL OF YOU! HEAR ME?! WHOO!" Louis screamed in absolute bliss over the mounted gun's rounds. A constant light emitted from it as he turned it from side to side with a twisted, psychotic grin sprawled across his face. Commons flew away and slammed into concrete walls in pieces, staining areas as bullets lodged through steel rapidly, making a clunking noise and leaving a trail. Zoey, Amber and Bill quickly moved away while looking up in surprise, "damn it Louis watch that thing!" Zoey scolded while Bill kicked and shoved a couple away from her. He slashed into their heads, spraying chunks of brain everywhere while the college student ran ahead blasting her desert eagles.
"And swing!" Amber hollered while doing just that. She broke the neck of another while a second lunged rabidly from behind. Quickly, Amber used both hands to block it with her bat then shoved it to the ground. She stomped on it repeatedly while it gnashed its teeth until Zoey came and blew a hole in its face. The effects were enough to make both of their stomachs turn; its nerves made the body convulse. Jordan took cover under a piece of broken concrete as he hurriedly reloaded his firearm, looking aside as he did while Kayla walked along the edge. Her own gun resting on her shoulder until she brought it down to blow off the head of a Spitter who was about to spray its deadly liquid over Beth and Francis. Acid and blood poured from the corpse during its drop, burning a hole in the cement floor where it fell through.
Jordan rose and took aim in the horde as Beth and Francis raced for them. They hacked and slashed when a shrilling Jockey dropped down on the biker to steer him away. He shouted as he pulled at its raking hands, a swarm quickly overwhelmed him as the three rushed to the rescue.
"A-fuckin'-ssistance!" He wailed, unable to see. The Jockey laughed horrifically in his ears through the commons' screams as he was shoved around. It yanked his body viciously with others slamming their fists wildly against him; he could barely hear his partners' voices as black dots clouded his vision. They beat the swarm away, and he finally felt them grab onto the impish infected, trying to pry it off with one slashing into its flesh. They yelled and hollered as Keirstan, Ian, Amber and Zoey raced around different corners to attack another small flood at once. Cutting and beating them until they were nothing more than gory pulps.
"Hurry! Get it off!" He heard Amber yell as she shot away. "Fuckin' trying!" Kayla grunted.
Finally, the Jockey was yanked off. It left long ugly scratches down the sides of his neck and chest. He inhaled deeply, moaned and squeezed his eyes shut from the pain as he pushed off a slab of cement, holding a hand over some of the bleeding wounds. "Gonna make it?" Beth asked, handing him his machete he dropped. "Yeah," he swallowed and took it back. "Thank you."
She nodded, as Ian flicked on a pipe bomb. "Fetch!" He hollered, chucking it over a ledge. Several commons ran for it to fall thirty stories. They watched them go as Kayla rose over her comrades and flicked the infected off with a grin. Suddenly, another beeping bomb landed at their feet, alarming them all. She, Amber, Zoey, Francis, Beth, Jordan, Keirstan and Ian all see another horde racing at them for it. They scrambled away shouting panicked profanities with very little time to get to a safe distance before it blew up. Turning the sick into sloppy, gored chunks of meat which splattered and painted everything nearby in dark red.
"You old bastard! What the shit?!" Francis boomed. He had searched among the chaos to find who threw it and spotted the look of guilt on the veteran's face.
"Sorry!" Bill yelled back. He placed a boot on a piece of debris and shot a thinning female-like Boomer. Lingering vomit dribbled from its lips before it was blown in half; the upper part rolled across the ground, intestines trailing behind as it blubbered in agony. Clawing the air with stubby slimy fingers while he raced ahead to assist Louis. The analyst was still playing with the mounted weapon gleefully until the rounds of bullets ceased. He looked at it in horror and sadness as the triggers clicked. "God fucking ass waffle pancake bitch!" He ran away picking off infected cursing up a storm with tears in his eyes.
The biker and his girls fought side by side, moving around one another slashing into rabidly lunging infected. He observed them and smiled adoringly, thinking back to when he played with them outside or wrestled with the two when they were so much smaller and younger. Now, here they were working together in the fight for their lives. What a change. A bad one, but a change. He let out a yell and kicked a Spitter away, it went to claw at them with acid burned hands so he impaled his machete through its skull. Pulling it out, Francis pushed it back as Kayla ducked, dodging a Smoker's tongue. Beth aimed her gun at the thing, she was able to shoot the special through a wall of commons; the body left behind a cloud of smoke and streaming blood.
Francis watched it fall with raising eyebrows in amazement. "...Beth. Good work." He breathed.
She bowed, "you're welcome."
"Damn…"
A Hunter screamed as it jumped at them, but Kayla stopped it by stabbing through its jaw. "Aye! Pay attention!" She reminded. "I am paying attention!" Francis exclaimed, "staring into the distance is not paying attention!" She flicked a sharp finger at where the Smoker stood. "Oh yeah?!" He laughed as he whirled around to see another special barreling for their teammates.
"CCHHAARRGGUUUURR!" He bellowed over their heads. Jolting, both looked at him. "How's that for paying attention?" Francis grinned raising his gun. They all fired at it and ran, Francis took the front and the sisters taking either side and back, covering each other while making their way forward. The Charger crashed into the group sending Zoey, Ian and Louis across the ground, almost over ledges and grabbed Keirstan. She yelled while punching and clawing at its fist. It raised her up and started pummeling her against rubble. Her joints and body popped each hit, but she glared up and continued to hammer wildly at it. Keirstan felt her strength fade, her head swam the more times she was slammed. But she refused to show pain. As she continued to strike back, the thing holding her spluttered in pain as blood flew from it when bullets and blades cut through its skin. Suddenly, it collapsed, its grip on her loosened and she could breathe again. She gasped seeing Louis and Zoey by her side. She laid there for a short time before she struggled to stand.
Keirstan staggered as Jordan hollered while decapitating others with his axe, "are you ok?!" Zoey shouted while shooting infected from above and behind her. At first her legs trembled and she held her ribs until she shakily nodded. Keirstan gripped on debris for support, trying to deal with aching soreness and a growing headache now. She tried her best to push off the swimming sensation she could start feeling, especially in her vision and wandered into the structure just in time to hear the pilot announce he was almost there.
"Five more minutes!" Amber repeated, tossing another pipe bomb out a window over the edge at the same time Louis did. Francis, Kayla and Beth came running inside as all could suddenly feel the concrete roof vibrating.
"Shit! Here comes a Tank!" Bill screamed.
"What?! I can't hear you over all of this!" Amber bashed in another Hunter's head who was mere inches from getting her, blood flew from her melee weapon across the ground.
A very loud explosion ripped through the air. Keirstan, Francis, Amber, Kayla and Beth were extremely startled when a chilled, oversized fist punched through the wall above their heads, they looked up fearfully at it. Louis was sent screaming and soaring away out of the structure from getting hit by debris while a pair of angry eyes peered through the hole.
So then Amber wildly flicked handfuls of rubble and sand into them, deepening its anger as it blinked at the stinging. "Don't piss it off more!" Francis cried, they ran out of the structure to see it pick up a piece of concrete and held it high over everyone. With a howl, the Tank hurled it at the survivors. Five of them dove to the floor, the other five running out of reach. It broke in pieces as the brute barreled ahead; punching more cement and tossing commons away.
"You look a bit nervous Beth!" Zoey yelled, seeing the worry spreading over the other's face. "Don't want a Tank rodeo challenge?!"
She turned to her appalled. "Not when we're thirty stories in the air!"
The college student snickered while they scattered, shooting at the hypothermic brute as Zoey grabbed a gas can. Jordan grabbed a second and they tossed both towards it. "The best way to slay these beasts!" Bill cheered, shooting both cans and setting everything ablaze. The area lit up as a hot, intense whooshing sounded. Smoke billowed into the sky and Louis heard something else heading for them. He frantically looked up and around then spotted a helicopter flying over head.
"Chopper!" He yelled, pointing and eyes widening. "It's here! Quick let's go!"
Searchlights groaned as they swayed back and forth, illuminating clouds as the helicopter hovered above the broken landing. The group of survivors raced for it, running off pipes and weaving through everything. Louis swung, cracking skulls open and bashing faces in as Jordan and Keirstan did the same either side of him.
"Hurry! Come on you can make it!" Yelled the pilot.
They pumped their arms and legs up the walkway with the blazing horde still coming for them. The Tank exploded from the fire, its frostbitten skin now black and charred. Screaming in blood curdling fury, it first punched down a structure then threw more pieces of debris at them before racing frenziedly at the helicopter. Hearing the sick were just feet from them, Francis stopped at the base of the walkway, glaring at the infected as the others ran by and began firing at both those climbing up ladders to the pad and in front.
"Hey! Come on!" Kayla shouted, skidding to a stop. "Get your ass on the helicopter! I'm right behind you!" The biker screamed back.
"No Francis! Let's go!" She tugged on his arm frantically.
"I said move Goddamn it!" He pushed her away.
Bill pulled her back from him as Beth screamed for their brother. Ian slammed a door open and everybody started jumping inside. "Jesus Christ…" They heard the pilot whimper, staring out at the horrific scene.
Francis darkly stared at the Tank, shooting a few more rounds at it before he too ran for their rescue. They encouraged him to run faster as some shot into the screaming crowd. The Tank howled again, and right as Francis was about to leap inside with the helicopter rising, it threw yet another piece of cement at them, colliding with a landing skid. The helicopter rocked and knocked his balance off as he tried climbing inside. With a shout he was jerked backwards, frantically attempting to but was unable to grab on anything in time. A hollering Beth, Kayla and Jordan reached for him in panic. Francis tumbled out and fell from their grasps; but at last second he was able to snatch the skid with one hand, body snapping from his weight. Now dangling in the air he grasped with the other hand yelling cusses and grunting. The Tank swung at them from below repeatedly while he looked down at the raging infected, who were jumping in a crazed fashion flailing their limbs and roaring over one another trying to grab and pull him down. A number of them were climbing over themselves and fell off the pad. Either onto another part of the roof or falling off the building completely. His knuckles turned white from his hold and he tucked his legs up as they rose higher, Francis could feel hands quickly grabbing his clothes in the meantime to haul him in. His comrades looked at the blazing rooftop while doing so. The door was slammed shut, muffling all wails and roars while the helicopter's tail blades sliced up infected as they flew off.
The team all laid and sat where they were for some long minutes, panting deeply and dropping their weapons as the helicopter hummed. Zoey eventually, and tiredly crawled over to peer through the window, watching the fire from the roof of the hospital. She looked at the group and raised her hands up halfway laughing and smiling.
Everyone cheered and high fived one another, whooping at their victory. Someone raised their gun as Bill sat back smiling and dusting his hat off. "That's how you beat ass!" Ian yelled in triumph.
Bill chuckled, "I knew we weren't getting away without making a mess."
"I'm sorry I took a little bit," the pilot spoke up. "I had to go rescue another group. Their position was crazy too, but not that crazy!" He wiped his brow and swallowed as they laughed.
"You're all safe now. I'll be taking you to a zone. And you won't have to deal with this anymore."
"Good to Goddamn know." Francis huffed as he and the sisters leaned back in exhaustion together. He looked down at them, both were small limp heaps against his body. The biker smiled at them again, but it faded when Beth's question lingered in his mind. He stared at the equipment hung up on the helicopter's walls as others started falling into a much needed sleep.
Bill was now making conversation with the pilot as Louis stared out the window. The helicopter moved through the sky over the infected city. Francis listened to the few voices and sounds the machinery made until he too felt his sleepy eyes slide shut.
...
"Oh no."
Worrying noises made Francis stir from his slumber sometime later. He rubbed his eyes and glanced around, and saw his friends staring in concern at the cabin. He could also hear slow, deep coughing emitting from it.
"What's going on?"
Francis moved up, waking the sisters as Jordan backed further in the helicopter. All were staring at the pilot who gagged where he sat. "What's wrong wi..."
"One minute he's fine and talking to us," Louis explained nervously. "Now…"
"Hey uh, are you alright?" Amber cautiously called. Kayla looked at everyone until she stared unmoving at the pilot, who started twitching freakishly. The red light from above him gave off an eerier appearance. He cried and gagged violently, making the team move away. The pilot then convulsed in his seat; blood dribbled from his nose and mouth and his eyes rolled in the back of his head. Crimson sprayed all over the windshield from another violent cough; while sweat and saliva dripped off his skin and dark veins slowly crept up his neck as the helicopter jerked. Finally He let out another gag before he stopped moving. Sitting limp in his seat. Everyone looked on in shocked silence.
"...Is he...is he dead...?" Keirstan trembled.
Another short silence. "I...I don't-"
Keirstan's question was soon answered, and Jordan stopped when the pilot lifted his head and glared at them through a rearview mirror with veiny, yellow eyes.
He gasped and shrieked as the helicopter dove. His twitching dark from jumped from the seat and he lashed at them while clambering for the group. Everybody moved back shouting as the chopper thrashed. The pilot dropped to his knees and went to claw at them again when Zoey held him still with a foot. She took one of her pistols and fired a couple of rounds through his helmet. The bullets exit the back of his head and lodged into the helicopter gears.
Smoke wafted from the dashboard and an alarming beeping filled the air. Warnings appeared on a screen as all were thrown around when the chopper thrashed once again. Screams erupted as Bill fought his way to the front of the craft to study the ruined gears and frantically trying to think of what to use.
The helicopter plunged for the earth, "we're gonna die!" Ian screamed. "No think positive!" Louis wailed. "We're gonna die painfully!" Ian shrieked.
Kayla nervously peered out the window, "if we die, we die in style!" She exclaimed.
"Stupid! That makes no fucking sense!" Beth hollered.
"Oh fuck, oh shit!" Jordan panicked, as he and Beth vice gripped onto rails. Amber and Zoey screamed as Francis hurriedly looked for parachutes among other items flung around. "What fucking chopper doesn't have those?!" He angrily wondered out loud. He was tossed back as Bill tried different gears before grabbing the steering handle, desperately trying to pull the craft up into a much steadier landing position.
"Come on you bastard..."
He remained in deep focus and tugged slightly harder on the handle. The craft started to level just a bit, although it was nowhere enough to land safely.
"Come on..." He shifted again with sweat forming on his brow and pulled upwards. The gear grinded in his hold.
And then, it snapped in half in his hands.
The result made him stare at it in complete horrified disbelief.
"Bill!" Keirstan shrieked.
He couldn't say anything but stare at the broken handle. Finally he spluttered, and threw it down. "Hold on to something! This is gonna get bad!" The veteran cried. He jumped back over to the group and all braced for the impact in absolute terror.
The helicopter's blades made a scraping, whooshing sound the closer it got to the ground. Finally, its nose slammed violently into it. Digging up dirt and gravel and cracking cement as everyone clutched on to what they could shouting in surprise. The pilot's body was thrown through the windshield as the craft slid vertically, clipped a building which broke the tail off and knocked it horizontally. Then rolled on its sides. Grinding as it went and denting the metal body heavily while throwing its wailing passengers all over. The blades snapped off and glass shattered everywhere as it dragged across the ground, crushing infected and leaving a large, long trail of dirt, dark blood and organs behind.
At last, it came to a stop. Smoke pillared from the engine.
The only sounds now, was of the craft groaning where it laid. And nothing more.